The food exceeded expectations; the fusion of Spanish and Caribbean influences in the cuisine produces delicious, savory food that satisfies.

I learned quickly that there’s nothing like Cuban coffee in the morning. It’s brewed strong, aromatic, and super sweet. Served with a ton of sugar, every Cuban person takes pride in the Cuban coffee they make.

I enjoyed pastelitos, little Cuban pastries, in the morning with my coffee. The flaky exterior gaves way to a warm cheese or guava filling.

With my rice and beans, I enjoyed the many preparations of platanos, or plantains. They can be served fried as chips or as maduros. These sauteed sweet plantains taste fantastic – like a better banana.

Perhaps my favorite taste of Cuba was a croqueta de Jamon. When I bite into this unassuming savory treat I discovered much more than its fried exterior. They’re crispy like a mozzarella stick on the outside, and inside I discovered a ham filling the texture of mashed potatoes.

Food is all around in Cuba. From a vendor of tomatoes, to piles of coconuts waiting to become a coconut and rum flan, the colors and smells enchanted me.

Every Thursday, we’ll be posting snapshots from different spots around the world and encourage you to do the same. You can share your photos by emailing us at FoodandPeople@SamuelssonGroup.com You can also submit a post on Tumblr which we review before posting our favorites here on MarcusSamuelsson.com

Newsletter

By Suzannah Schneider

Meet the Team

Whether it’s finding the best goat tacos in LA, spotting a well-worn vintage bag in Sweden, or interviewing the “crab man” selling seafood on a corner in Harlem, we tell stories seen from Chef Marcus Samuelsson‘s point of view. MarcusSamuelsson.com strives to create conversations about food, nutrition, culture, art, and design. We want to find Read More